The effect of dietary protein deficiency on transport of vitamin A in the blood and its storage in the liver

Abstract

Signs of vitamin A deficiency may be among those of malnutrition in areas where the dietary intake of vitamin A is not unduly low. I n the normal animal vitamin A is efficiently absorbed, but oil or fat is essential, and the more unsaturated the fat the better the absorption. Bile acids and pancreatic lipase are also needed, and, as pathological changes in the liver and pancreas are found in malnutrition, it is not surprising that the low levels of vitamin A found in blood in malnourished subjects have been regarded as secondary to absorption defects. Some clinical evidence has been offered in support of this view. Trowell, Moore & Sharman (1954) found serum carotenoid concentrations to be lower in patients with kwashiorkor than in healthy adults and infants. Arroyave, Viteri, BChar & Scrimshaw (1959) obtained similar results for vitamin A: they also published a figure showing that in malnourished children there was no response to dosage with vitamin A palmitate but that after treatment for 5 days with skim-milk powder a normal response was obtained.